Written on 5-7-19.
I leave for Crownpoint tonight at around 5:00. I wish I felt better. Danielle, Belinda, and I all have a cold, and it’s a pretty nasty one. I just feel sapped. I took Kody for a mid-afternoon walk and then I scooped the poop, and now I am spent. My back is really tender and tweaky, too. Ugh. Hopefully, it will pass through quickly; Danielle’s graduation weekend is heading our way.
I was going to play golf with C.J. yesterday, but I cancelled. I didn’t even attend church on Sunday. No energy. I dropped off my clubs with Don Greenwood today, though, so I can get them all re-gripped. That will be a welcome change. Many were feeling slick and worn, and I needed a grip on my new driver that matches the rest of my set. I will pick them up on Thursday evening when I return.
When we played on Friday, we finally got to complete the match that started and then ended when Bruce and then C.J. left on the back nine when the weather turned windy and ugly. Bruce and I took on Shawn and C.J., and it was a decent match, coming down to the last few holes. I was worthless for the first seven holes. I substituted the new driver with the old one to see if that would help with the low and left pulls. Nope. I had some serious hooks, and it really hindered my scoring. I teased Bruce about...
getting tired for caring me for such a long time, but things got better on #8 and #9. Despite Bruce’s good play, we were two down after seven holes, but I got a birdie to get one back on this hole.
Pinon Hills-Hole #8-Birdie #5 of 2019
When I was pulling my shots, especially my tee shots, I could feel my arms coming across and close to my body. It was if I was cold and not fully warmed up, and that might be the only thing that was causing them. With others, however, the swing felt fine and aggressive, and I was shocked and mad when I saw my golf balls go low and left. Not exactly accepting the results of my shots, eh.
This tee shot was super, though. It was long and straight, and I was in the middle of the fairway with a clear view of the green. I chose my utility club for my second shot, and I pulled my left foot back a bit and took a hard swing. My ball launched high and straight, and I was left with just around 126 yards to a back left pin position. My pitching wedge clipped the fairway neatly, and this ball went straight up and down with the flag, settling just short of the pin, but staying on the upper tier. My putt was between 15 to 18 feet, and it had a bit of a break from left to right. It curled in neatly, and Shawn realized they could not win the hole at that point. Finally, I had helped and given Bruce’s knees and back a bit of a break.
I was the only one to get a real score on the next hole, too, a bogey, and Shawn had a rare blow-up hole (he really is playing some superb and consistent golf), so we got it back to even after the front nine was done. Things were looking good for the back nine.
My par matched Shawn’s par on #10. I had my longest drive ever there, getting inside the 140 yard marker. Then my par matched Shawn’s par again on #11. I really pulled my 5-iron on the next hole, the longer par three #12, but Bruce responded and got a par to match Shawn this time and continue to keep it even.
Then Shawn got a birdie on the the par five #13, so we went one down again. C.J. pitched in to help his team on the next hole with a legitimate bogey with a pop, so we went two down again.
Then I got my second birdie of the round on the next hole.
Pinon Hills-Hole #14-Birdie #6 of 2019
The wind was gusting every once in a while from right to left, so it was between my pitching wedge and my 9-iron when my turn came. I chose the 9-iron, even though the flagstick was on the front this time. That was too much club last time, but the wind must have really helped to get my ball closer. I had only four feet and a straight putt for my birdie, and I made that one to get back to just one down.
I should have kept us at just one down on the next hole. I had another fantastic drive (no pull!), and I was in a great spot with my pitching wedge in my hands again for another approach. I tugged it slightly, though, and the wind pushed it a bit, too, so it ended up a long way from the hole, but I did have an uphill putt. The wind was really blowing into my putt, though, so it ended up short, but I still had just under five feet for my par. I just missed, though, and we lost another hole.
Shawn got a par on the next hole, and Bruce and I struggled, but Bruce nearly got a par to match Shawn. The match was over at that point, though. To his credit, Shawn was even on the back nine! Wow! He really is playing closer to a ten than what I had originally thought. Now, I just need to get him on my team when he plays like that.
On the very last hole, it is worth noting that Shawn’s approach from well over 200 yards hit the flagstick! It stopped just about six to eight feet away after that, and he nearly ended with a birdie on this very tough final hole.
My turf-buster from the tall rough that is between the bunkers put my ball to just three feet away. I had a very easy putt for my birdie, but it trailed off to the right just before the hole, so I settled for my par, but that was the first time I earned a par on the last hole this season.
I am glad that we finally got to finish, but I was disgusted with my play on the front nine. I broke 90 already once, but it’s proving difficult to do again. Hopefully, I can play better with my new grips.
Until next time…
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